Oversleeping can Kill You
by dazdnconfusd730
Summary: BJ blames himself when Hawkeye is shot.


A/N: This was the first fanfiction I had ever written. It was also pretty badly written as I realized when I was reading it over. I've revamped it, proofread it, and added some things. It reads easier and more intelligible. Apparently I didn't proofread in the early days. That has changed I can promise you that. Please review.   
  
The sun had been up for hours and neither Captain was awake. They were supposed to have left at 8:00 and although the clock now said 10:00, each was still snoring peacefully. A loud knock stirred the raven haired doctor from his sleep. "Huh?" he mumbled.  
  
"Who is it?" came the groggy voice of his companion from the other bed.   
  
Hawkeye rolled over and looked at the clock with blurred eyes. Pushing his hair from his eyes with a hand, his mind was finally able to register the time. Upon realizing they were nearly two hours late he jumped from the bed. "Oh, we're in trouble!" he said pulling on his clothes. "Come on Beej." He slapped his friend on the back a couple times.  
  
"Wha..." mumbled the blonde doctor, who was not quite ready to give up on his sleep.  
  
"We were supposed to leave two hours ago!"  
  
That woke up BJ. He leapt from he bed with surprising agility and quickly began pulling on his clothes. "The Colonel's going to kill us!" he cried, his blue eyes crinkled in worry.  
  
"No, he'll probably only maim us," Hawkeye concluded as he pulled on his army green pants. "I mean if he kills us the only surgeon he'll have left will be Charles. We can still operate if he only cuts off a foot." There was a pause as he pulled his shirt over his head. As soon as his head emerged through the green shirt he said, "I thought you set the alarm."  
  
"I thought you set it," BJ answered, hopping on one foot as he struggled to pull a boot on.  
  
The loud knocking started again.  
  
"Dear God, the Colonel came all the way here to maim us!" BJ cried.  
  
"Get real Beej." Hawkeye was dressed so he opened the door. He recognized the young man standing in front of him as the Corporal from the desk downstairs.  
  
"Excuse me Captains, your CO called and he said he didn't know whether to be worried or, how did he phrase it? Angrier than a bull seeing red," the corporal said, running his hand through his blonde hair as he read the note in his hand.  
  
"Tell him not to be worried or angry." Hawkeye ventured. "Tell him definitely don't be angry. Because... we just left."  
  
"But Sir you didn't..."   
  
"Bye Corporal!" Called Hawkeye as he and BJ pushed their way past the flustered young man and ran downstairs only stopping when they reached the jeep.   
  
Hawkeye was about to climb in when BJ said, "Uh, Hawk?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"I was thinking," BJ said, the cogs in his head obviously turning. "Would you rather be yelled at over the telephone, or in person, where there is the chance of physical harm?"   
  
Hawkeye looked at him. In unison they said "Telephone." They took off running back toward the building they had just come out of.   
  
"Don't hang up!" yelled BJ to the Corporal as they burst through the front door.   
  
"Sir?" said the Corporal into the phone. "The Captains want to talk to you." He held out the phone. Panting, BJ and Hawkeye stared at it as though it was a live grenade. A silent battle went on with wide eyes and frantic gestures towards the phone.  
  
Hawkeye straightened up and took a deep breath. "Hi, Colonel." Instantly he held the phone at arms length. He, BJ and the Corporal could hear Colonel Potter clear as a bell.   
  
"WHERE IN SAM'S HELL ARE YOU? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BACK AN HOUR AGO!"  
  
Hawkeye and BJ cringed. The Corporal looked amused.  
  
"CASUALTIES WILL BE ARRIVING SOON! I NEED MY DOCTORS!"  
  
There was silence. Hawkeye slowly brought the phone back to his ear. "There is a very good explanation Colonel."  
  
"THERE HAD BETTER BE!"  
  
"You see, I thought BJ had set the alarm."  
  
BJ grabbed the phone. "And I thought Hawkeye had set it."  
  
"So," said Hawkeye taking back the phone and pausing for dramatic effect. "We over slept."  
  
"Well," said Potter, his voice lower but shaking in fury. "Get...back...here...NOW!"  
  
"Right, on our way," Hawkeye said quickly.  
  
"See you soon," called BJ.  
  
They gave the phone to the Corporal and took off running once again. Hawkeye climbed into the passenger side of the jeep, stretching out his tall lanky body as he prepared to relax.   
  
"Hey can you drive Hawk?" BJ asked him hesitantly.   
  
"Let me think," Hawkeye said, bringing a finger to his chin. "Uh...NO. I drove here, you drive back."  
  
"I'm so hung over Hawk," BJ pleaded. "Please, I'll drive both ways next time." He tried his best to give Hawkeye a pathetic look.  
  
Hawkeye glanced at his friend then sighed. "All right. But you'll regret it next time we take a trip. I won't forget you know." He slid into the driver's seat.   
  
"Thanks Hawk," said BJ as he flopped into the passenger's seat.   
  
They put on their soldiers helmets, then Hawkeye started the jeep and began to drive them home. "That conference was so boring," Hawkeye stated. "Well, except for the part where you got drunk and fell into the punch bowl."  
  
"I...I what?"  
  
Hawkeye began laughing, while trying to keep his eyes on the road. "You don't remember?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh man you are hung over," Hawkeye said, his brown eyes twinkling as he shook his head.   
  
"Did I do anything else?" BJ inquired.  
  
"Nothing you want to know about."  
  
BJ groaned. Then he yawned. He pulled his helmet over his eyes and said "Wake me when we get there."  
  
"First you make me drive and now you take a nap?"  
  
"Mmm," was the reply.  
  
Hawkeye drove along in silence. They had left the paved roads of Seoul and were traveling along the dusty and more dangerous roads. A quick glance at his watch told him it was 11:00. They were about ten minutes from camp when Hawkeye decided to wake BJ. If the Colonel saw him sleeping when they pulled in... Hawkeye shuddered as he imagined. He poked BJ. "Beej, Beej! Wake up!"  
  
"Are we there?" BJ mumbled as he blinked to allow his eyes to adjust to the light.  
  
"About ten min-" Hawkeye never got to finish his sentence. With loud pings bullets started to ricochet off the jeep. Hawkeye tried to duck and drive, resulting in the jeep weaving across the road. There was a sharp pain in his left side. He put his right hand over it and used his left to pull around a curve. He stopped. The shooting stopped.   
  
"Wow, good driving Hawk," BJ said admiringly. "Hawk?"   
  
Hawkeye didn't say anything. He slowly pulled his right hand off his side. He and BJ stared at the bloody hand, then looked at each other.   
  
"Oh you're kidding!" exclaimed BJ as he jumped out of the jeep. He ran around to the other side. "What happened?"  
  
"Well, I think I've been shot, but don't trust my opinion, I'm only a doctor."   
  
"I can't see anything here." He said trying to examine Hawkeye's wound. "Can you get in the back?"  
  
"Sure." Even as he spoke the pain was intensifying. "Ah! Ah! Careful!"  
  
BJ tried to take a look at Hawkeye's wound but the blood was everywhere. "I don't even have a medical bag," BJ muttered. It was only a short amount of time, before the familiar sound of bullets upon metal resounded in their ears. BJ ducked.   
  
"I have to hand it to this guy, he's a persistent little fella," Hawkeye said as covered his head.   
  
"How am I supposed to do anything with him shooting?" BJ asked, cringing as another bullet bounced off of the jeep.  
  
"Ok, on the count of three jump in the jeep and drive."   
  
"You've lost a lot of blood. I have to stop the bleeding first," BJ protested.  
  
"I'm a doctor too you know. Let me worry about that. We're both dead if we stay here," Hawkeye told him over the gunfire.  
  
"But..."  
  
"BJ, GET IN THE JEEP AND DRIVE!"  
  
BJ jumped up and got in the driver's seat. He slammed on the accelerator and they sped down the road out of firing range. "How are you doing?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder at his injured friend.  
  
"Fine," grunted Hawkeye as he ripped his sleeve to use to put pressure on his wound. "Hey maybe the Colonel won't yell at us now." They hit a bump. "Ow."  
  
"You'll be ok, we're almost there."  
  
"I know Beej I'm not worried," Hawkeye lied.   
  
"Help! Somebody help!" BJ cried as he quickly brought the jeep to a stop. He heard Hawkeye groan from the back-seat. A group of people came running from the mess tent.   
  
At first sight of Hawkeye, Margaret ran over to the jeep and cried, "Oh my God! Hawkeye!"   
  
Colonel Potter saw the wounded Captain and took control. "Klinger get a stretcher and get him into the OR, now!" With a quick "Yes sir!" Klinger took off running.   
  
"Hey," said Hawkeye his hand over the steadily bleeding wound in his side. "Don't get all worked up. I'm fine." He tried to sit up but the sharp pain in his side made him think twice. "Margaret, get... Margaret, will you get off!" he said, trying to push the nurse away. He saw the crowd of people and cracked a weak smile. "Well, hello, everyone in camp." He said and gave a little wave.   
  
Potter caught the gist, "Ok everyone go back to work." The crowd slowly dispersed and Klinger came back with the stretcher. BJ helped him put Hawkeye onto it. "Don't worry Beej," Hawkeye called as they carried him to pre-op. "I've got the best surgeons in Korea to fix me up." Hawkeye turned around and said to Klinger, "To the Ritz, my good man."   
  
BJ watched them carry Hawkeye to OR then collapsed into the jeep with his head in his bloodstained hands.   
  
"What happened, son?" Potter asked gently.  
  
"He...he was driving and suddenly...a sniper got him. I didn't have any medical equipment. We were only ten minutes from camp so I drove back as fast as I could."   
  
Potter put his hand on BJ's shoulder and said, "Don't worry we'll take good care of him." He started to walk away.  
  
"Colonel?" BJ called after him. "I want to help operate."  
  
"I don't think that would be a good idea, son," answered Potter.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"For one thing you're his best friend."  
  
"So? You and Charles are his friends too."  
  
"Yes, but you are upset right now. I think it would be better for Hawkeye if you let us operate."  
  
BJ sighed, seeing the colonel's logic. "You're right," he said. The colonel started to jog to the OR. "Colonel, take care of him all right?" BJ called after his retreating back.   
  
Potter answered with a quick wave.   
  
BJ walked to the Swamp slowly. He felt helpless. And responsible. His best friend was lying on an operating table because of him. Unable to think of anything else to do he went and got a shower. BJ watched as Hawkeye's blood ran off his hands and onto the floor.  
  
"Here come the wounded, hurry before we run out," came the announcement.  
  
BJ quickly dressed and went to help. He scrubbed and went into the OR. He saw Hawkeye lying on a table, with Charles working on him.   
  
Potter was working on another patient. "This is terrible. We're over run with casualties and short a doctor." He looked up and saw BJ staring at Hawkeye. "Oh, I'm sorry BJ, I didn't realize you were in here."  
  
BJ tore his eyes from Hawkeye and looked at Potter. "It's ok Colonel, it's not your fault." He wanted to add, "It's mine," but he refrained.  
  
Margaret came over to BJ and said gently, "There's a patient for you doctor."  
  
"I'm coming."  
  
As BJ operated on his patient he kept glancing over at Charles. He tried to decipher the look on Charles face, but he couldn't tell if it was good or bad under his surgeon's mask. The OR was unnaturally quiet with the absence of Hawkeye's jokes. BJ could tell it was also quiet because everyone was worried.   
  
Charles finally looked up and said, "Klinger take him to post-op." Everyone looked up expectantly. Charles said nothing except, "I believe there are other patients who need a surgeon." Two enlisted men hurriedly left to get him another patient.   
  
BJ didn't like this. Why wasn't Charles saying that Hawk was going to be ok? Was there something wrong? No, he told himself. Charles was just being his usual self and didn't want Hawkeye to get more attention than he did. BJ tried again to see Charles' expression but found it impossible.   
  
The last patient was taken to post-op. BJ changed and went to look for Charles. After being unable to find him, he walked back to the Swamp, confident that he would return eventually. He lay down on his cot and before his mind had a chance to fill with unhappy and guilty thoughts someone knocked on the door. BJ rolled over and saw Father Mulcahy standing at the door.   
  
"BJ, I know it's late but I wanted to have a word with you."  
  
"Sure Father, come in," he said sitting up.  
  
Father Mulcahy walked in and sat across from BJ, on Hawkeye's cot. "BJ, I'm getting the feeling you blame yourself for Hawkeye getting shot."  
  
BJ sighed. "That's because it is my fault, Father."  
  
"Now how can it be your fault? He was shot by a sniper."   
  
"I was supposed to be driving, Father. He drove to the conference, I was supposed to drive back. Hawk didn't even want to drive. I begged him. I had had more to drink last night, so I was really hung over." He put his head in his hands. "I was supposed to be driving."  
  
"Now BJ, what if you had been driving and the shot had come from the other side? Hawkeye still would have been shot. Now would that have been your fault?" He paused. "No." he said, answering his own question. "This wasn't your fault either. Don't blame yourself. Just be there for Hawkeye."   
  
BJ felt slightly better. Father Mulcahy got up to leave. "Thanks, Father."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
Not five minutes later Charles walked in. He met BJ's eyes. He walked over and sat down where Father Mulcahy had just sat. "So how is he?" BJ asked, breaking the silence.   
  
"He'll be okay. I've managed to repair the damage done by the bullet. He's out of the anestisia, and he wants to see you."  
  
"Oh, ok." BJ said. He got up slowly and left the Swamp, headed for post-op. After his talk with Father Mulcahy he felt a little better but the guilt was eating him up. He didn't know how to face Hawkeye. BJ walked into post-op and talked to Margaret. "How's he doing?"   
  
"In good spirits for someone who was just shot," she said rolling her eyes, leading BJ to believe he was in good enough spirits to be making passes at the nurses.   
  
"Yeah," he answered. He walked over to Hawkeye's bed. His eyes were closed. BJ took in a deep breath and said, "Hey Hawk."  
  
"Beej! Thanks for coming by!" was the reply.   
  
"How are you holding up?"  
  
"You know getting shot isn't so bad once you get past the blood and the pain." He put his hand near his mouth so only BJ could hear him, "The nurses are treating me like a poor little kid." He imitated one of the nurses. "Can I get you anything Hawkeye? Need a drink Hawkeye? How are you feeling Hawkeye?" He laughed and grabbed his side. "Ok so the laughing hurts but hey, you can't have everything."  
  
BJ looked at his friend with pain in his eyes. Great, now Hawkeye, the king of jokes, couldn't even laugh.   
  
Hawkeye studied BJ. "Beej are you ok? You look upset."   
  
BJ forced a smile. "I'm fine Hawk."  
  
Hawkeye knew better and suddenly it hit him. "Beej your not blaming yourself for this are you?"   
  
BJ looked up suddenly. Leave it to Hawkeye to figure him out so quickly.  
  
"BJ, it wasn't your fault. You know I don't blame you right?" Hawkeye searched his friend's face as BJ answered.  
  
"I know you don't blame me. But you should, I was supposed to be driving. I was just being selfish."  
  
"Look, if you were driving then you would be shot. And personally I think I got the better deal. I mean I have nurses fawning all over me, pity coming from all sides, and I don't have the worry that my best friend is gonna die." At the look on BJ's face he quickly added, "Which I'm not going to do."   
  
A wave of relief came over BJ and he knew that Hawkeye was going to be ok. And then BJ smiled for the first time since he came back to camp. 


End file.
